SOMERSET LOCAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMMITTEE
Minutes of the Meeting of the Somerset Local Pharmaceutical Committee held at Ash House Hotel, Ash, Nr Martock on Tuesday 10th November 2015.
Present: Mrs L Coles (Chairman); A Downing; A Harker; Ms S Herman; G Morris;
Ms R Myers; Mrs F Norman; Ms E Waller; P Whitaker
In Attendance: N Woollcombe-Adams (Secretary), M Harvey (Chief Officer) and Ryan Smith (substituting for G Winter).
1. Apologies for Absence – G Winter.
2. Declarations of Interest – None.
3. Minutes of the Last Meeting – Agreed as a correct record of the proceedings.
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Last Meeting – None.
5. Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting held on 20th October 2015 –
Agreed as a correct record of the proceedings.
6. CCA Report – AD agreed to do this.
7. Correspondence and Members Reports –
a) EW reported on the Medicines Safety Network Meeting, which she had attended and a report on which had been circulated.
b) AH had circulated a list of training meetings which had been set up. Agreed SH would put these in the weekly Newsletter, and that Catherine Hilton (CPPE) would attend the January 2016 meeting. AH noted that there was particular interest in a course for Physical Examination Skills.
c) NHSESW – NWA reported on the meeting he had attended at the offices of Devon LPC, a report of which he had circulated.
d) Joint Executive Meeting Somerset, Devon and Cornwall LPCs. The Chairman reported on this meeting, a report of which had been circulated in advance.
8. Chief Officer’s Report (circulated in advance) –
a) Positive work with Yarlington Housing association was noted.
b) Needle Exchange – The terms negotiated by the Chief Officer were agreed by the Committee, namely £1.50 per transaction (not per pack) loss of the retainer, but no reduction in the number of participating pharmacies. This was now a payment by results service.
c) Flu – To date Somerset pharmacies had administered 5,300 vaccinations, compared with 1,114 in the whole of last year. It was agreed that there was a need to continue pushing the service, and a series of advertisements on Breeze FM had been agreed (in conjunction with Devon LPC).
d) YDH discharge project is close to roll out.
e) Health Checks - There had been a concern that pharmacy was not delivering. Agreed that MH should discuss with the Lloyds project manager. The suspension of the service, together with the flu work load, tended to have been somewhat overwhelming of late. It was felt that whilst it was not up to MH to do the job of the Lloyds project manager, it was nonetheless important that the Community Pharmacy reputation was not tarnished. MH to contact GW/overall project manager to attempt to regularise defects in the process, and to motivate/correspond with all relevant pharmacy contractors involved with Health Checks
9. Clinical Commissioning Group and Health and Wellbeing Board –
NWA explained the “Somerset Together” concept, and the revenue budget issues effecting Somerset County Council. NWA agreed to keep to keep GM informed of any relevant topics.
10. Application Sub Committee –
No significant change of location for Day Lewis from 72 Hendford Yeovil to Hendford Lodge Medical Centre, 74 Hendford Yeovil. The Sub Committee had agreed that no comment was necessary in this case.
11. Think Pharmacy Event –
MH reported on the event he had attended, which had been held by Avon LPC. This had been funded by sponsors. MH and SH approved the Avon format, and also noted that Hampshire LPC at their event had stands show casing pharmacy services. The Committee approved in principal the holding of an event to take place possibly in April/May 2016. The work in preparing this would be taken over from SH by the new Administrative and Development Officers.
12. Budget/Financial Issues –
The Treasurer reported that the LPC reserves were probably excessive, and that funds were available up to £60,000 to enhance the Committee structure over the next two years (see item 13).
13. LPC Structure –
Structures of neighbouring LPCs were discussed at some length, and the Committee concluded unanimously that we should work together more with Devon/Cornwall LPCs, employ an Administrator for up to fifteen hours per week (on a rolling contract), and also employ a Development Officer for up to sixteen hours per week (on a one year fixed contract).
Members volunteered for Committee positions as follows:-
Deputy Treasurer - FN
Vice Chairpersons – AD and EW
Training Support – AH
14. Chart of Up Coming Meetings –
Copies of all invitations to meetings to be sent to NWA to enable a record of attendees to be kept.
15. Helen Belben – Medicines Optimisations Lead SWAHSN –
Helen outlined her roll, and explained how appropriate recording could be achieved, with particular reference to the appropriate use of Pharmoutcomes.
16. Catherine Hilton CPPE –
Advised that Clinical Care events would require a minimum of fifteen attendees to be viable. Members asked Catherine to look into the provision of a Physical Examination Skills Course as a possible substitute for Influenza Courses in June. It was felt that Tuesdays were the preferred evening for these courses. If recommissioned the Flu sessions could take place later in the year, possibly August/September
17. Chief Officer and Secretary Remuneration –
These Officers left the room whilst this topic was deliberated. The outcome of these deliberations will be made known to the Officers concerned by the Chairman in January
18. LPC Strategy –
This was discussed briefly with no relevant updates being made at present.
19. Dates and Places of Next Meetings –
The Full Committee would meet on the third Wednesday of each alternate month commencing with 20th January 2016. These meetings would take place at Ash House commencing at 9.30am, unless advised otherwise.
It was agreed to hold a meeting of the Executive at 6.30pm at the Nags Head, Thornfalcon on 2nd December 2015, should this be required.
20. Any Other Business –
a) The Committee agreed unanimously to invite Ramesh Yadav to join the Committee as an Independent Representative to replace Sophie Herman, who was moving to Nottingham. NWA to advise Ramesh accordingly.
RM advised that during her forthcoming maternity leave it was highly likely that Hazel Elliot would become the new AIMP representative on the Committee.
b) MH to prepare job descriptions for the proposed Development Officer and Administrator posts. The Development Officer post in accordance with the draft put forward by the Chairman and agreed by the Committee and the Administrator post job description based upon the Avon LPC Engagement Officer job description. SH to place these on the LPC website, and circulate the job descriptions with the weekly Newsletter, as well as sending them to our neighbouring LPCs.
c) Direction of Prescription Incidents – Members to send any details they might have to AD for onward transmission to the CCA.
d) The Chairman reminded all Officers, together with the new Vice Chairpersons, to hold the evening of 2nd December free in the event of an Executive Meeting being required.